ABOUT OUR GROUP
ROAD SHARKS are a group of Safe, Happy, Aware, Respectful, Kind, Super Cyclists! OUR NAME is our Mission Statement!! Our purpose is to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle through cycling with friends and give back to the community and environment by participating in charity events. We are also about friendship and social time! Many of our members have known each other and ridden together for years. We are fortunate to have built the friendships which make this group so special (so if you’re just interested in rides with the sole purpose of a “hammerfest” and no regard for your fellow cyclists, this is not the group for you!). We typically meet for lunch after a ride to share all the fun we experienced (like who won the final sprint)! We genuinely enjoy spending time together and there’s always room for new friends!!
CYCLING EVENTS
In addition to the physical, mental, and social benefits of getting out there and riding, we feel it is important to have a positive footprint (or in our case, tire print!) in our community. We do so by encouraging our members to participate in charity cycling events in accordance with their ability and personal preference. Some of the events we have participated in are: · Bike MS · Tour de Cure for Diabetes · Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Fallen Heroes Memorial Ride · Sharky’s Ride the Beaches for Cancer · Pedal for Pups for Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue · Clean Air Ride benefitting The Key Training Center in Inverness, FL serving adults with mental and other disabilities · Rails to Trails benefitting the Withlacoochee State Trail If you have another charity cycling event close to your heart, please share it with us and we will certainly consider posting it for group attendance!
MORE ABOUT ROAD SHARKS
All members will need to have a road bike (not a hybrid, mountain, or cruiser) and attend rides on a regular basis to maintain membership. We post rides during the week and on weekends locally in Hillsborough County but also travel north to Pasco, Citrus, and Hernando Counties and south to Manatee and Sarasota Counties. When participating in charity rides, we also travel a little farther to those locations (Orlando, Venice, etc.). Rides are posted to the Meetup site with details such as date, time, location, and speed. The majority of rides will be posted as “No Drop” rides to assist riders with advancing their skills but there may be occasions where a ride is posted as a “Drop” ride at the discretion of a specific ride leader, which means you are welcome to join the ride and you have knowledge of how to return to the start should you get separated from the group. Currently, most of our rides are posted at an 18-20 mph pace but we are always open to a 2nd Ride Leader adding a slower-paced, shortened version of the route which will allow all riders to finish at the same time and enjoy the camaraderie! All riders should select rides according to their ability to maintain the pace for the designated distance. This helps assure that everyone finishes the ride together, Safe and Happy!